Pit Trashes Us Airways

[PITbull]

This management is also asking PA for upgrades in PHL. Philadelphia has a ton of O/D traffic. They don't need to upgrade anything for U. Philadelphia airport authority can bring any damn airline they want. They can give more slots to DL, NW, SW. Its a competitive business. Whatever Pittsburgh loses, the stat e needs to make up for the sake of PA revenue and the residents in PA.

 

[PITbull]

Bob,

The 7,000 employed at U will pay either way. Whether U stays or goes.

 

[MrAeroMan]

This management is also asking PA for upgrades in PHL. Philadelphia has a ton of O/D traffic. They don't need to upgrade anything for U. Philadelphia airport authority can bring any damn airline they want. They can give more slots to DL, NW, SW. Its a competitive business. Whatever Pittsburgh loses, the stat e needs to make up for the sake of PA revenue and the residents in PA.

So are you saying that if U pulls out of PIT then PHL should raise their fees to cover PIT's revenue shortfall?

 

[PITbull]

Well, if your asking me. YUP! Sure would if I were doing the negotiations, including all airlines.

Now, what these state reps will do to stimulate competition for gates in PHL we will have to wait and see. I can tell you this as a tax payer of PA and Pittsburgh, if any of my tax dollars are used to help USAirways stay in Pittsburgh, it better be for mainline jobs. If not, I will hold them all responsible and they won't win "dog catcher" in Pittsburgh.

 

[MrAeroMan]

If U pulls the plug at PIT there is no way they will raise the fee's at PHL to subsidize PIT's financial problems. Isn't going to happen no way, no how, no matter how you slice that piece of pie. As for mainline jobs I doubt you'll get a commitment nor would I trust anything in writing that gives that kind of commitment. Jimbo and PIT are in trouble financially as well as politically and if that commitment doesn't come through he's going to find 7,000 people leafletting the area against his run for dogcatcher!! Poor Jim!! He can't win!!

 

[USA320Pilot]

Oliver:

Oliver said: “I also see PIT and PA and US making a deal that turns PIT into a CVG style RJ hub similar to DL. Hardball negotiations seem to be on the way with PA.â€￾

Chip comments: Oliver, with or without a corporate transaction I agree with you. It’s an election year and the loss of US Airways would be devastating to Western Pennsylvania. The collateral damage would be similar in scope to the demise of the steel industry. Roddey understands this and in my opinion, he’s either posturing or knows US Airways could take its assets West.

Best regards,

Chip

 

[AAviator]

West? Like the gold miners? With your costs, good luck!

 

[shaka]

Well it seems that the politicians are getting tired of the waiting game that the boys of US air are playing.

Lets face it, US Air moving west is a complete fantasy. Plain and simple they would have to pour tons of money into another airport to get it up and running to their satisfaction. Bottom line, they ain't doing it. The only place they could limit their expenses would be in St. Louis, but running RJ's out of St. Louis does not make too much sense. The RJ base needs to be close to the huge population centers in the north east. They desperately want to get the RJ's going cause its going to make a ton of money for them and the best place for this is Pittsburgh where they have the facilities and the employees who can get this thing going immediately. Having to retrain new employees in a new city would be a huge expense and take a long time to do. US Air wants MDA up and running ASAP.

The other side of the coin is if US Air pulls the plug in Pittsburgh you can best believe you will see the likes of Jet Blue, Southwest and ATA coming into the Philadelphia market by the first quarter of next year. There are a number of council members in Philly that want the LCC's in their airport because of the cost to fly out of Phillie. Their constituents are sick and tired of driving to Baltimore to get a reasonable fare. I can assure you the state will make this a reality if US Air sticks it to them by leaving Pitt.

Once again US Air is in the driver seat of these negotiations but if they pull out of Pitt they move to the back seat. The state will pull their financial offer from the table and you will see some new carriers hitting the Philly market and taking market share from US Air.

 

[AOG-N-IT]

Where is all this talk of moving west coming from?

Dave had a Pop-Up blurb on the Hub just this week...and it was a bit of a nasty reply to comments made by Holy Hegeman on her website recently.

Dave sees no reason to think about hubs in the mid-west..or the far west. To paraphrase he said..."It's Already Over-Hubbed".

I caught this Hub Pop-up at work...but it would not come up at home...nor would it print. Needless to say...Dave's no fan of hers ..and I was shocked at some of his comments in response to USAirways One Year Later.

Dave made mention on focusing on being what we are for most practical purposes..."A Super Regional"...and he will maintain the focus on the eastern US...and thre benefits of code sharing via the Star Alliance

Dave went on to expressing comments of actually contimplating at one point renaming USAirways Piedmont again...but was fearfull that doing so would create a regional stigma that we can ill afford. Sounds a bit wishy washy IMHO...why would you be scared of being labled what you profess and aspire to be anyway? If the shoe fits? Huh?


Dave drew many comparisons this time...and not JetBlue for a change.

He said that U would be instantly profitbale with Piedmonts 1989 work rules in place...and could be with America Wests 2003 work rules...niether of which would bid well for the working class here.

 

[LavMan]

Fast Eddie Speaks!

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030828/phth037_1.html

 

[Atlantic]

Just wondering Pit,
"Tax Dollars". How do you feel about paying for the new baseball and football fields in PIT?
That put any food on your table?
Roddey has to know that if he attracts a low cost, they will run what, 8 or maybe 11 flights using 2 or 3 gates.
That won't pay for the light bill.
Roddey and the rest of the AGC boys gotta see that the jig is up.
He has to come in south of $5 per head or PIT is history.

 

[PITbull]

Alantic,

NOPE! Didn't like the shell out for two new stadiums and the way they shoved it to the tax payers either. Hopefully, they have learned that you can't take on that kind of debt and only get a return on investment that provides NON livable, poverty wages for Pittsburgh. Doesn't help our local economy and doesn't fill the stadium seats when folks can't afford to go to the games. Initially, the stadiums created good jobs; but that was "short term". Hopefully, Pittsuburgh reps won't repeat the same mistakes over again.

I say, give U $200 Million cost savings for Mid-Atlantic. Anything higher than that, will take "mainline" presence of a minimum of 150 flights with a HUB Status. IN WRITING. BLACK AND WHITE ON PAPER! Higher risks takes higher stakes!

Otherwise, "hit the dirt " boys...YOU'RE OUT!

And I will tell you, Gov. Rendell got an ear full from the PIT AFA Pres.

AFA t-shirts state "KEEP MAINLINE JOBS IN PITTSBURGH" and they will be worn at the "Labor Day Parade" on Sept. 1.

 

[Hello Newman]

Is this Roddey the same weenie that whined "the people of Pittsburgh supported USAirways service to PHL when the SHOULD''ve supported AirTran'" ?????????

Perhaps its PIT's anti-business attitude that drove AirTrab to vuilding a second hub at BWI instead of PIT